Promoting Local Tourist Destination in Algeria, What Are The
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Review MECAS V° 17/ N° 2/ June 2021 Promoting local tourist destination in Algeria, what are the obstacles according to the tourism agencies?- Studying a sample of tourism agencies in the province of Setif- Lagha soumia1 Assistant professor/Ferhat Abbas University Setif -1- [email protected]. Received date : 30-09-2020 / Accepted date : 29-04-2021 Abstract : The aim of this study was to highlight the obstacles that face the tourism agencies to promote the local tourist destination in the province of Setif, based on a questionnaire that was designed and distributed to a random sample of (60) tourism agencies that organize domestic trips, where the response rate was 86% (52 tourism agencies). We used Statistical methods to describe, and analyze the main hypothesis of our study. The results showed that the administrative difficulties, deficiencies that characterize the local tourist destination, the lack of awareness and tourism culture among the Algerian tourists, as well as the high prices of tourism services are mainly the reasons that prevent the tourism agencies under study to promote and provide trips toward tourist destinations in Algeria. Keywords: promoting tourist destination, tourist destination’s obstacles, tourism agencies, province of Setif. Jel Classification Codes : M31, M37 Introduction: According to the annual report of the Word Tourism Organization (WTO), there were 1.5 billion international tourist arrivals globally in 2019, up 4% from the previous year, and all regions show an increase in international arrivals. This growth confirms the driving role of tourism as an economic sector (WTO, 2019). And in front of the great changes of globalization that imposed different circumstances on all countries around the world to change their strategies in all economic sectors, governments are looking for new financial sources to rouse their local development projects, and evade the traditional ones that have inhibited their development path, moving towards sustainable sources of wealth outside the non-renewable energy sectors. 1 Corresponding Author: Lagha Soumia.E-Mail : . [email protected]. 15 Review MECAS V° 17/ N° 2/ June 2021 Algeria is one of these countries that take the hydrocarbon sector as a strategic sector in providing revenues and financing the rest of the other sectors. The tourism sector in our country is considered a river of gold, inexhaustible oil, and an effective alternative comparing the hydrocarbon sector, due to the natural tourism qualifications we possess, the cultural and historical heritage that is well known throughout many Algerian regions. These regions as a tourist destinations in Algeria are just a raw materials, whether they are distinguished by natural and cultural characteristics, heritage and historical, economic and political, or by unique infrastructures in the world. However, it requires a serious policy and an integrated strategic plan, mobilizing all public and private actors to communicate, promote, and distinct Algeria as a tourist destination on the international level. When we talk about promoting tourist destination, it must be determine who are the actors the government depends on? And what are the precise methods must these actors follow? Tourism agencies are among the most important private actors in promoting tourist destinations, due to the mediating role it plays between tour operators (hotels, restaurants, fitness places, mineral baths, deserts areas, cultural and sportive events, archeology sites, etc) as suppliers and tourists as demander in the tourism market, Where they collect many services to provide them in one package as a tourist offer, searching to satisfy all circumstances and conditions foreign and local tourists want during their tourism residences and trips. In Algeria too, tourism agencies carry out to win their clients by offering Algerian destinations, through delivering informations about it, promoting it as a local destinations, communicating potential visitors, harmonizing, reformulating, and configuring tourism product in proportion to the needs and desires of customers, having the ability to negotiate the quality and prices of tourism products and all its related services, with both local and foreign tourists. The fact that we can’t evade that the number of foreign tourists has not exceeded three thousand annually over the past twenty years in Algeria, and the number of foreign tourists coming to Algeria through travel agencies in 2018 did not exceed two thousand tourists, according to Said Boukhlifa (the President of the National Union of Travel Agencies in Algeria). And according to the world economic forum, Algeria has ranked in the 116th comparing the other country. Depending on what represented above, our study aims to answer the main question which is: what are the obstacles that prevent promoting local tourist destinations in Algeria, according to the opinions of tourism agencies? This study aims to demonstrate and clarify the real background of obstacles that prevent focusing on offers of local tourist destinations in the tourism agencies, among the offers they provide towards foreign destinations. 1-LITERATURE REVIEW: It is complex to define tourist destination because it is composed of several elements, and each destination has its own attractiveness; it can be a village, a city, a country, a cultural site like a museum, or natural like a natural reserve, a hotel, a fitness center (BENHADDOU, 2017, p. 79). It can be also an object, person, or even a concept that visitors put in their mind as a future destination, so that destination is a unique place where visitors spend at least one night (WTO, 2019). It is different from the place of the permanent residence of a tourist, where he actively is implemented, and tourist products are consumed (hanef, 2017, p. 46). The composite nature of the tourism product is unique destination because it is an amalgam of tangible and 16 Review MECAS V° 17/ N° 2/ June 2021 intangible factors that encompass the tourist experience (from core to peripheral products and services) (Berendien A, Douglas, Fairer-Wessels, Kruger, Geldenhuys, & Francis, 2013, p. 3). Each destination offers a variety of tourism products and services to attract visitors, and each tourist has an opportunity to choose from a set of destinations (Crompton, 1992, p. 428). 1.1.Algeria as a tourist destination Tourism resources and qualifications in Algeria are distinguished between what is natural, cultural, and historical heritage on one hand, and what is related to infrastructure and basic structures on the other hand. 1.1.1. Natural qualifications: Algeria is rich in many natural resources that qualify it to occupy the first rank in the Mediterranean. It is various between mountains, coastal strip, and desert as follow(Harouat, 2012, p. 114): •Coastline: Algeria is located on the equivalent of 1200 km2 as a coastal strip overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, and is distinguished by its height and rocky composition. It consists of several tourist destinations, such as El Kala, Jijel, Bejaia, Tennis, and Beni Saf… •Mountain Ranges: The Atlas Mountains, which extend along the coast, about 1500 km from the northeast to the northwest of the country. In addition to the Atlas Desert Range, which consists of three mountain ranges that extend from the southwest to the northeast, about 700 km parallel to the axis of the Atlas Mountains. Among the most famous mountain ranges in Algeria are the mountains of Jarjara, Al-Khashna, El-Titri, Al-Dhahra, the Al-Baladi Atlas, Aloncharis, Beni Shakran... •Desert Areas: The Algerian Sahara is one of the largest in the world. It covers of 84% of Algerian area. It is divided into five large regions: Adrar, Illizi, M'zab Valley, Tamangest and Tindouf. It is considered one of the main assets in the field of tourism because it is the first destination for foreign tourists, and it is famous by the Hoggar and Tassli Nagar barns in the states of Tamanrasset and Elysee, which are famous for historical drawings that reaches to the Stone Age, and its volcanic mountains.The Algerian Sahara characterizes by the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets in the world, according to UNESCO. The “Mezab” region in the state of Ghardaia is rich in its ancient culture and history, and despite the ruggedness of the region, it includes in addition to the regions of Timimoun and Bani Abbas, the largest and most beautiful oases in the world. The Algerian desert is famous for its many animals, such as antelope, gazelles, and fennec… •Febrile Areas: Algeria has a large number of spas and hot baths officially registered with 202 natural sources, concentrated in the north of the country. The most important well-known resorts are; Hammam Riga (Ain Defla), Hammam Bouhanifa (Maskara), Hammam Gargour (Setif), Hammam El Salheen (Medea), and Hammam Dabbagh (Guelma). •Nature reserves: Algeria includes many picturesque nature barns, including many types of birds in various seasons, it is classified internationally as a high natural heritage, including(UNESCO, 2020): •The National Park of El kala: It occupies 78,000 hectares, located in northern Algeria, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, and includes 3 beaches and 3 reserves containing 50 species of birds and other types of animals. 17 Review MECAS V° 17/ N° 2/ June 2021 •DJardjara barn: it sits on about 500 hectares, and is located in the heart of Atlas El Tal, 50 km from Algiers, in which snow settles for a period of three months (December, January, February). •The cedar forest barn "Thaniyat